The plans to renovate Yoctangee Park and the streets around it got another public review, centering around a five-station roundtable-style gathering.
Council held the ‘part two’ of the unfinished session from March 10th at the Ross County Service Center on Thursday, ending with a recommendation on action, for council tonight.
In the previous story from April 10th, hear committee chair Creed in his own words, as well as Tony Lenhart of American Structurepoint, on the result of the meeting.
City employees Tricia Hall and Clint Boggs explain one of five station in the roundtable-style open house.
The main road that connects Mill Street and Paint Street, often referred to as the “Interior Road” and Tritscheller Road (actually Alexander Road), was originally proposed to be cut off between the park lake and old Armory.
This was recommended in the 1993 park plan – and was proposed again by American Structurepoint to prevent traffic through the park to make it safer.
Traffic plan inside Yoctangee Park – with Memorial Armory in the center, Water Street along bottom, Yoctangee Boulevard along the left, and Mill Street at the roundabout in left center:
Draft traffic plan 1 inside Yoctangee Park: Cut off the road.
An alternative was proposed to allow the road to remain, but realigned to enter the traffic circle / cul de sac at the armory at a different angle. They said this angle was required by engineering standards and safety considerations to slow traffic at the proposed drop-off point. It would also require earthen fill in a low point in the park for the new roadway, and removal of trees.
The conclusion was to reroute the road, and not remove it:
Draft traffic plan 2: Realign the road.
The other point was whether the lakeside road (part of Enderlin Circle) would become two-way, with paved parking spaces. Discussion included safety for pedestrians and waterfowl. The conclusion was to make the road two-way, with the option of possibly returning it to one-way.
The replacement for Baseball Diamond No. 1 behind Chillicothe High School is properly oriented to the afternoon sun. (A consultant said he was told the current diamond could not be oriented worse.)
Though the roundabout at Water and Paint is shown, is has been dropped.
Find much more in the article on the Scioto Post, including four more draft plans.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.
A well-used copy of the 1993 park plan for Chillicothe.